Medical and security sources reported the killing and wounding of dozens on Wednesday in an explosion targeting a mosque in the Afghan capital, Kabul, without any party immediately claiming responsibility.

An Afghan security official told Al-Jazeera that 20 people were killed and 40 others wounded in an explosion at a mosque north of Kabul.

While witnesses told Reuters that a powerful explosion, which occurred during evening prayers, was heard north of Kabul, and destroyed the windows of nearby buildings.

Ambulances rushed to the scene.

A Taliban official told the agency that as many as 35 people may have been injured or killed in the blast in Khair Khanah district, and that the number could rise.

For its part, the Italian "Emergency" organization, which runs a hospital in the Afghan capital, confirmed that it had received 27 victims of the explosion, including "3 dead and a number of injured suffering from wounds caused by bomb shrapnel or burns."

On the other hand, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid did not give a death toll from the attack, but in a tweet condemned the bombing and asked for "prayers for the martyrs."

He also promised that "the killers will be held accountable soon."

This attack comes a week after the killing of a Taliban operative and his brother, in a suicide attack on a Quranic school in Kabul, which was claimed by ISIS.